OREANDA-NEWS. On June 12, 2007 National Innovation Development Programme The Belarusian government has adopted a plan for implementing the 2007-2010 National Innovation Development Programme. The decision is laid down by the Council of Ministers’ resolution No. 523, reported the press-centre of  Gomel Invest.

The Justice Ministry, the State Science and Technology Committee, the Education Ministry, the Industry Ministry, the Agriculture and Food Ministry in association with the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, oblast administrations and the Minsk City Hall have been instructed to develop the necessary legal acts for establishing a national innovation system and implementing the country’s innovation development strategy.

The Economy Ministry, the Finance Ministry, oblast administrations and the Minsk City Hall are supposed to map out financial resources taking into account money of the national and local state budgets, loans, domestic and foreign investments for implementing the national, industrial and regional innovation development programmes and control their utilisation.

Apart from that, the Ministry of Statistics and Analysis, the State Standardisation Committee, the State Science and Technology Committee, the Economy Ministry and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus have been instructed to work out and start monitoring the innovation development of all industries and regions of the country using a computerised record-keeping system and statistic data by September 1, 2007.

In Belarus the 2007-2010 National Innovation Development Programme was approved by presidential decree No. 136 of March 29, 2007. The Programme is supposed to create 100 new companies, 386 modern production facilities, to modernise 609 companies by introducing 888 high technologies.

Till 2010 Belarus’ research and development will focus on resource and energy-saving technologies, production of competitive products — new materials, energy sources, information and telecommunication technologies. Apart from that, much attention will be paid to issues relating to ecology and rational nature management as well as the creation of new technologies for processing and storing agricultural products.

The Programme’s implementation is supposed to increase the share of new products in the overall industry up to 19% by 2010 (10,4% as of early 2006), the share of innovative companies — up to 25% (14,1% as of early 2006). The share of certified products will be largely boosted. To reach the goal, over 2,000 enterprises will undergo certification for compliance with international standards.